Discovery II's have the same airflow sensor as an E39 BMW M5 (and some other VW models also).

Background:

I ran a K&N for a few thousand miles and discovered a few things. First, the K&N has visibly less filtering area than an equivalent paper filter. I also noticed a film of dirt on the "clean" side of airbox, after the air passes through the filter. After I removed the MAF, I could clearly see a film of dirt covering all the sensitive parts of the device. It is important to note I did have 138,000 miles before cleaning the MAF, so anyone who undertakes this should expect some dirt to have accumulated if they have never cleaned it previously.

Follow these instructions:

http://www.louv.tv/cars/m5/MAF/

I immediately noticed a smoother idle and better throttle response. Nothing like the 394hp M5, but significant nonetheless.

To those grizzled skeptics:

It is exactly the same part as used in other BMW and VW vehicles. The e39 M5 guys do this cleaning with regularity to keep their performance vehicles in top shape. Arguing our Rovers are somehow different does not work. It is exactly the same part!

Don't buy a new MAF, just clean the dirty one you have.

K&N Air Filters:

In my experience using them in my Rover I noticed they did not do a good job filtering and clogged easily after only a few off road trips. Filtering surface area is extremely important off road where dust and dirt are much more likely to floating around.

Cheers,

Pete

 

Thank you Pete, very good information.

 

Very interesting.

 

How interesting that information is all this time I believed the best way to clean the MAF was to, in this order and right after the last step (do not waste time):
1. Spray quality MAF cleaner into (all over) MAF,
2. Start vehicle, leave it idling,
3. Go inside, call AB......elevator music/recordings,
4. Order new MAF,
5. Go back out, shut vehicle down,
6. Operate vehicle normally,
7. Within 24 hours +/- of receiving new MAF vehicle will die and throw codes,
8. Replace old Clean Maf with new Clean MAF,
9. Operate vehicle normally (after clearing codes),
10. Never - Never clean MAF again.


MMMM why don't they sell dirty ones to begin with, it appears the whole problem is that the MAF is clean.

 

If all you do is spray it and then start it I would expect problems to come up. If you click on the link you'll see you need to take the MAF out and thoroughly clean it (carefully also).

Following your humorous method would produce less than funny results.

Cheers,

Pete

 

Cleaning our MAF's has killed more then one can count. It is a well known fact it happens, started in (( and still continues to this day. I have a hard time justify cleaning a MAF, knowing full well that the odds are with you that if the K&N doesn't kill it the cleaning.
How many of you want to risk a $260 Maf???????????????? on a bad suggestion???????????

 

It seems strange then that the BMW crowd does not suffer from these dead MAF's after a cleaning.

For everyone else, I hope you realize it is EXACTLY the same part, whether it was used in a BMW, VW, or Land Rover. There is a lot of misconception about airflow sensors out there. It can't on one hand be a tough piece of equipment that survives duty in a 394hp sports car or a capable off road SUV and then suddenly die if cleaned properly.

If you DO NOT clean it properly you will most likely kill it. I hope everyone here as enough common sense to follow the instructions and handle it carefully.

I'll let everyone here know the minute my Rover explodes in flames because I cleaned the MAF.

Cheers,

Pete

 

Using that logic, the stepper motor for a 97 Jeep Cherokee is the same as the one for my 99 Disco 1. On the Jeep it's a "plug-n-play" but on the Disco, it has to be re-set with a computer. Why won't it work on mine? Because the electronics are different. It isn't a Jeep or a BMW, It's a Land Rover. I would go with Mike's advice. Look at his credentials. Unless money isn't a problem, why take a chance?

Eric

 

Pete, First of all, no one said the MAF will explode in flames, so quit be so dramatic.
I don't care what you may believe based on a BMW forum, this is a Rover forum, our MAF's have an extremely high % of failure when cleaned, I don't care how they are cleaned and or with what, it happens.
As a retire service manager with Rover and other manufactures, I can tell you it can and does happen way too often.
By the way, when talking with some of my old VW service manager friends, they say it does happen to them also.
So you can believe what you and your friends want, or trust the experience of my 30 years in the business along with other service managers, bottom line, there are too many people who know little or nothing about this and they depend on accurate information, from this forum, that won't turn around and cost them money they didn't want to waist fully spend.
So this forum suggests to never clean the Bosh MAF, because of the high probably of MAF failure.

 

quote Forrest Gump.." and thats all Im gonna say bout that"